Tidjane Salaün – the latest Espoirs product destined for the NBA shines in the BCL
Antoine Rigaudeau, Mickaël Gelabale, Rudy Gobert, Nando de Colo, Rodrigue Beaubois, Kévin Séraphin, Killian Hayes. And the list could go on. What do these players have in common? They all got started at Espoirs, Cholet’s renowned youth academy.
Tidjane Salaün, their latest graduate, is shining at domestic and continental level, and he could be the next big name coming out of Espoirs.
The Salaüns: a family with Basketball in their DNA
A late bloomer for basketball standards, Tidjane Salaün was born August 10, 2005, in Paris. Basketball runs in the Salaün family, with Tidjaune’s sister Janelle also a pro baller with Villeneuve d'Ascq and the French National team (she was starting for France at the 2023 Women's EuroBasket).
His mother recalls the training sessions she took Janelle and an 11-year-old Tidjaune “Growing up, he wasn’t that motivated, he was always dragging his feet to go for the extra sessions”. His sister Janelle, on the other hand “Was very demanding, so I took the two of them to do some exercises and shooting drills” per
For young Tidjane, basketball was more a hobby than a career.
Success with Espoirs and turning professional
Fast forward to 2021 and, after some spells at Orly (his native city) and a year at Arcueil at Charenton (where Evan Fournier got started), Tidjane Salaün rejoined Cholet Basket Espoirs, where he would impress with his performances, culminating in an MVP trophy at the Trophée du Futur, the main stage for young French players before turning into professionals.
It was the 7th for Cholet, with 17 points scored by Tidjane in the final that Espoirs dominated 72-42. The Choletais had previously taken part in “Basketball Without Borders” in Salt Lake City and impressed in the EuroLeague tournament in Patras.
Tidjane's rise in Pro A and BCL in his first pro year
On July 10th, 2023, Salaün signed his first professional contract with Cholet while on international duty with France Under 18s. He has then impressed Cholet, both at domestic level, where he is averaging 20.3 minutes and 7.2 points per game, and continental level, where he is averaging 12 points and 3 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game in the BCL.
In the BCL, he’s breaking records: no player under 19 years old has been able to average 10+ points per game in their first 6 BCL games (per Opta), a feat Tidjane has achieved with Cholet Basket since featuring in the qualifiers.
He went one short of NBA big man Alperen Sengun, the current record holder for most points by a player 18 or younger in the BCL, when he recorded 24 points against Darussafaka. Salaun was able to perform at the highest level with a Cholet team that came in Group C as underdogs, and helped the French side get out of Group C in second place with homecourt advantage in the play-ins.
In the Pro A, he was able to secure the “Young player of the month” award in December. An intriguing prospect with NBA upside, Salaun is looking for the biggest feat of his short career so far: Cholet are 0-1 in their BCL play-ins series vs Sassari, after losing by 20 at home.
Can Tidjane and Cholet get back in the series as they play the second leg in Sardinia? NBA scouts will be watching another milestone game in Salaün’s inevitable path to stardom.
Watch Tidjane Salaün play at Sassari
Check out all games from Cholet Basket in the 2023-24 BCL, including watching Dinamo Banco Di Sardegna – Cholet Basket live on Courtside 1891, the home of live FIBA Basketball.
Is Tidjane Salaün going to the NBA draft?
Tidjane is currently focusing on his first year as a professional with Cholet, and he declared he “will go to the NBA when he feels ready”.
However, his size, athleticism, and ability to shoot from deep and inside the paint attracted much attention. He turned heads at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament, averaging 20.5 points and 7.5 rebounds, and boasts elite measurements for a forward.
He worked hard on his shot-creating ability and looks like a complete attacker who can punish from three-point range as well as attack the rim, with a deadly first step and an eye for attacking closeouts and a great fast-break potential.
There are some questions surrounding his defense, but his steal numbers show a keen eye for the ball, and his upside is likely to earn him a first-round call, should he declare for the 2024 NBA draft.
In mock drafts, he’s expected to land anywhere between 10-20 in the first round. Not bad for yet another Espoirs graduate making the leap to the world stage.
